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Post by Admin on May 20, 2024 12:33:24 GMT
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Post by Admin on May 21, 2024 1:52:10 GMT
At a press conference on the 20th, Austin said he did not know the cause of the crash, but emphasized that he would closely monitor Iran's investigation.
He also stated, ``We do not believe that it will have an impact on broader regional security,'' indicating that the move will not destabilize the region, and that there will be no change in the posture of the U.S. military.
On the other hand, Mr. Austin stated, ``The United States had no involvement in this accident,'' and White House Chief of Staff Robert Kirby responded to the criticism that economic sanctions had an impact on the helicopter accident. strongly denied the accusations, calling them ``completely baseless and untrue.''
State Department spokesperson Miller said that Iran had requested assistance in searching for the crashed helicopter, but due to procedural issues, ``ultimately we were unable to provide assistance.''
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Post by Admin on May 21, 2024 7:18:48 GMT
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Post by Admin on May 21, 2024 14:33:16 GMT
Even before Iran’s army chief Mohammad Bagheri ordered an investigation into the helicopter crash that cost the Islamic Republic the lives of two of its top politicians, blame was being laid at America’s door.
The body of President Ebrahim Raisi was being carefully carried from the crash site as former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif acidly told Iran’s state TV that, “One of the causes of this heart-breaking incident is the United States, which by sanctioning the sale of the aviation industry to Iran caused the martyrdom of the president and his companions. The US’s crime will be recorded in the minds of the Iranian people and history.” US officials quickly dismissed the allegations as “baseless.”
There are many reasons the aging American-made, Vietnam war-era Bell 212 helicopter may have crashed. Poor maintenance or human error in the dense fog are among them. Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu has said it is too soon to comment on the cause of the crash, but initial indications suggested it was an accident due to foggy weather.
But why did Iran risk both president and foreign minister on the same helicopter, when there were three used that day to carry the delegation to the dam opening on the border with Azerbaijan?
When Raisi – accompanied by his Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the provincial governor Malek Rahmati, and the influential Imam of Friday prayers in Tabriz, Mohammed Ali Alehashem – got out of the helicopter at the Qiz Ghal’e dam Sunday morning visibility was good.
The sun was shining as Raisi shook hands with his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyav at their border on the bridge over the calm waters of the Aras river in the middle of the dam. The day had got off to an apparently good start. Previously frosty relations between the two nations appeared to be warming.
On the route picked by the flight crew for their journey to the regional center of Tabriz, where the president’s plane was waiting, the weather was worsening.
Although seasonal rains had been diminishing another weather front was moving in. Cold and wet. Fog was thickening around the rugged, remote and unforgiving 1,800 meter (5,900 feet) peaks on the direct flight path.
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Post by Admin on May 22, 2024 6:42:26 GMT
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